Loaf molding machine



Oct. 20; 1953 M. A. sTlcKl-:LBER

LoAF MOLDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 2l, 1950 MEAL /A/ A. ST /C/(E L BE@ A TTG/(JNE Y 0ct. 20, 1953 M. A. sTlcKELBER 2,655,876

I v LoAF MOLDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 21, 195o v s sheets-sheet 2 :nnnnnnnnnnn JNVENTOR.'

ME/PL/A/ A. S/c EL BEA7 A TTcf/vf M. A. STICKELBER LOAF MOLDING MACHINE Oct. 20, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l Filed Aug. 21, 1950 Arrow/Ey Patented Oct. 20, 1953 2,655,815 LoAF MoLDING MAGHINE Merlin A. Stickelber, Kansas City, Mo., assigner to Sti'ekelber & Sms lne e egrreratili'ef Missouri Application August 21, 1950, Serial Na 189,516.

12` Claims. l

My invention relates to bread molding machinesy and more particularly to a loaf forming machine and means for feeding the sheeted *dough pieces from the sheeting mechanism to the curlf ing mechanism of such a machine.

In the molding of bread loaves on a commercial scale it is customary to sheet rounded pieces of dough between rollers to produce a strip of dough that is elongated in the direction in which the rolling took place. It is also common practice tov curl or coil up the sheeted dough piece on itself by means of a flexible member that engages a conveyor belt so as to cause the dough piece to be curled upon itself by movement lengthwise With the belt. It is also highly important to provide means for automatically panning the molded loaves of bread and to mold a loaf of bread that can be automatically panned Without any difficulty. In order to do this, the loaves should be made of accurate length and be ar.- ranged at a definite position crosswise of the belt that is part of the curling mechanism.

In order to assure proper location ofthe sheeted dough piece relative to the belt vvvith which the curling means cooperates, suitable guiding means and stop means are provided to locate the sheeted dough piece transversely of the conveyor belt forming part of the curling mechanism, so that said dough piece will properly engage the curling mechanism and the pressure board usually provided, to form a loaf that is of such length and so located on this conveyor belt that it Will discharge in proper position to a pan on the pan conveyor to not overlap either end of the pan, Without anyone having to do any panning by hand or otherwise rearrange the molded loaves in the pan.

In utilizing such guiding means, particularly stop means for limiting the transverse movement of sheeted pieces of dough across a conveyor belt feeding the dough pieces to the curling mechanism, it is customary to provide stop means that the then forward edge of the sheeted dough piece will engage to limit movement thereof crosswise of the conveyor belt, as shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 4,294, led January 26, 1948, on Transverse Curling Loaf Molding Mechanism, now Eatent No. 2,467,612, dated August 4, 1953. Such halting by such stop means of the sheeted dough piece causes thickening of the end thereof that engages the stop means and sometimes creates a wrinkle in the sheeted dough piece. In transverse curling, this thickened portion becomes one side of the dough piece that is to be curled or one end f lforms part of the curling mechanism, said rollers the loaf. Obviously. if there is considerably greater thickness ofV the dough piece at said side thereof, it vvill, when curled up, be multiplied so as to'l makea much larger in cross section loaf at onefend of Ythe molded piece of doughthan at the otherend thereof.

7It is the principal purpose of my invention to provide, in a loaf molding machine, means for feeding the sheeted dough pieces to the curling mechanism, that comprises means for reducing the thickened edge portion so as to p rovduce a dough piece of uniform thickness from side to side thereof and from end to end thereof, and to remove any Wrinkles that might be in the dough piece due to having engaged with said stopr means.

More specifically my invention comprises a conveying means operating in the same direction as the curling mechanism, and which maybe a portion of the Same conveyor belt, and a pair of rcooperating rollers' interposed between the said conveying means and the curling mechanism in a position to receive sheeted dough piecesfrom said'conveying means and discharge the 'saine onto the conveyor belt, or belt portion, which being similar to sheeting rollers and serving to re-shape the dough piece to the extent that it is of uniform thickness after passing betweenv said rollers. Said rollers act as feed rollers and are adjustable in their spacing so as to get any desired reducing action of said rollers as the dough Apasses between them, thus re'-shaping the doiigh pieces after these have been located transversely of said conveying means.

My invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with'a transverse curling loaf forming mechanism, in which the dough pieces are ldischarged from a conveyor belt crosswise onto means for feeding the ysame to the curling mechanism. In my improved feeding means li'provide an upper conveying means having its discharge end above the' run of a conveyor belt Vwith which a curling member engages, and provide paired sizing rollers between'said conveying means and the said run of said conveyor belt,

vthe upper conveying means feeding the 'dough pieces to the rollers and the rollers feeding the dough pieces to the run of the conveyonbel't. The stop means is provided in cooperation yvith the upper conveying means forming partei the curling mechanism, and thus locates the dough 'pieces relative to both the upper and'lower. conveyor means transversely thereof.

While plain rollers may be used for both of the rollers of the pair, preferably, a anged roller is used with a plain roller so as to definitely size the dough piece that is to be curled into a loaf, the flanged roller cooperating with the plain roller to determine the width of the dough piece, as well as to produce a uniform thickness thereof.

Another important feature of my invention is that the pair of sheeting rollers is preferably provided with an outer sleeve of polytetrafluoroethylene or similar material to which the dough will not stick, thus making it unnecessary to apply any flour to the sheeted dough piece passing between said rollers. Furthermore, if desired, said rollers can be adjusted to such a close spacing that the dough piece is sheeted transversely of the direction of original sheeting sufficiently to distort the cells in the dough piece in a different direction than the original sheeting operation distorted the same. Thus if desired, with my improved bread molding machine, it can be used either for transversely sheeting the dough piece if this should be desired, or merely for transverse curling. In either case a loaf that is uniform in size from one end to the other end thereof results because of the fact that the sheeted dough piece is of uniform thickness and of a definite width.

While the flanged roller will absolutely locate Ypieces from the sheeting mechanism, indicated the dough piece relative to the curling conveyor belt, the same thing is true of uniianged rollers, for while some adjustment of the stop means may be necessary to get the exact location desired for the dough piece after passing` between the sizing rollers, the adjustment of the stop 5 means can be such that any widening of the dough piece at the thickened edge is compensated for so as to locate that side edge of the dough piece exactly the right distance from the side edge of the curling conveyor belt on whichthe same is deposited by the paired rollers that do the sizing.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, f'

showing another form of my invention, using two unanged sizing rolls.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal Section, showing another form of my invention, using separate conveyors for feeding to the sizing means and curling means.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 'I of Fig. 1 showing the construction of the stop plate, and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section on line 8 8I of Fig. 5 through the end wall of sizing roll feed hopper.

Referring in detail to the drawings, in Fig. l is shown a bread molding machine that has a conveyor belt I0, which receivesv Sheeted dough I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself generally by the numeral I3. The dough pieces that are to be sheeted between the rollers it and I5 are fed to said rollers in any desired manner, as through the hopper I6, to which these may be supplied by any suitable conveying means. The dough pieces that are fed into the hopper I6 are rounded dough pieces ordinarily, or may be pieces of dough that have been divided and not rounded, if this is found to be desirable. The dough pieces fed from the hopper I6 pass into engagement with the rollers I4 and I5, and after passing between rollers I4 and I5 to be sheeted thereby, pass between rollers I7 and I8, as shown in Fig. e. The machine is provided with suitable means, such as a plate extending from adjacent roller I5 to adjacent roller I8 for guiding the dough pieces from the rollers Ill and I5 into engagement with the rollers I'I and I8.

The frame of the sheeting mechanism has a pair of side Walls I9, which are provided with suitable bearings for the shafts 2e, 2i, 22 and 23, on which the sheeting rollers are mounted. On the Shaft 2i! is mounted a sheeting roller having a sleeve-like body portion 2li of steel and an outer sleeve-like body portion 25 of a polymer of tetrafluoroethylene, the characteristics of which are described in detail in my co-pending application, Serial No. 793,359, filed December 23, 1947, on Dough Sheeting Apparatus and Method. The steel body portion of the roller I4 is fixed on the shaft 2U, and the sleeve-like dough contacting member 25 is xed on the body portion 2li to rotate therewith.

Mounted on the shaft 2| is a sheeting roller having a sleeve-like steel body portion 26, which is fixed on the shaft 2| to rotate therewith, and mounted on said body portion 26 is an outer sleeve 27 forming the dough contacting surface of the roller, which is made of said tetrafluoroethylene polymer, above referred to. The roller mounted on the shaft A2l has flanges 2S thereon, between which the roller on the shaft 2t fits. The roller on Shaft 2D is designated generally by the numeral It and the roller on shaft 2l is designated generally by the numeral I5, said rollers rotating in the direction of the arrows thereon in Fig. 4.

The shafts 28 and 22 are adjustable toward and away from the rollers I5 and i3. The adjustable mounting for the shafts 2e and 22 is described in detail in my Patent No. 2,600,281, on Sheeted Dough Transfer Conveyor, patented June 10, 1952. Hand wheels 29 are used for adjustment of the shafts 29 and 22. The conveyor belt Il) receives sheeted dough pieces from the sheeting mechanism I3, the conveyor belt I D being mounted on a suitable frame Il, on which are mounted rollers I2 and 3I, over which the belt operates, one of said rollers, such as 3I, being driven in any suitable manner in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon in Figs. 1 and 4. The roller IZ is adjust-ably mounted on the frame, the adjusting means being indicated at 32. Said conveyor belt I9 discharges the pieces of sheeted dough with considerable momentum across the upper run 35 of conveyor belt 92 on the end of Vsaid conveyor belt I E. Said conveyor belt I0 extends into a recess 33 provided in the table-like member 3K2, over which the upper run 30 of the conveyor belt operates.

The dough pieces are discharged from the end of the conveyor belt I0 onto the upper run 3G of the conveyor belt 92. They have a tendencyr to agende/ e travel somewhat upwardly relative to the run: 3|) ofithefconvey'or because of the momentum with which these are discharged from the; conveyor belt |01.- In order' to prevent' any upward movemerit of the sheeted dough pieces away fromsaid belt conveyor', which might prevent the flatwise engagement of the sheeted piecesof dough with the run. 3l!t thereof when the sante finally engage therewith, a de'ector plate 35l is provided, which isof. substantially the width ofthe conveyor belt and extendsv across a major portion of' the width of tlierun 3G of said conveyor-belt, and is generally rectangular incharacter, havingv a ma g-inal flange 3-5- thereon that extends at an angle thatis slightly oblique tothe body' portion 35 of said plate, sothat when said plate is secured in position, as described below, the marginal edge of said plate that is nearest the conveyor belt H5 will be inclined upwardly above the edge thereof that has the upstanding flange 36'. As a result, the plate 35 acts as an eectiveguiding means and deflecting means to direct the sheeted pieces of dough downward-ly into engagement with the upper run 3o of the conveyor belt 92, so as to rest at'l'y thereon upon engagement with said conveyor belt. The stop: means preferably comprises an angular guide member 3-1, which has a horizontal flange 38 that is pivotally connected by pivot members 3-9 with enlargements et on the end portions of rod-like members 4|, said rodlike members being mounted in suitable brackets 4t2' that are provided with clamping means for adjus-tably securing the rod-like members in position. Asshown in Fig. 7 the deflector plate 35 is provided with a sheet of tetrauoroethylene polyv mer 94 on its dough contacting surface, secured by fastening elements 95. Similarly stop means 31 is provided with a sheet of tetrafluoroethylene polymer 96 on its dough contacting surface.

The sheeted dough pieces are discharged from the conveyor HJ of the sheeting device to the upper portion or run 35 of the conveyor 92, which feeds the dough pieces into sizing rolls, indicated generally by the numeral 43 in Fig. l. rihe engagement of the dough pieces discharged from the conveyor I0 to the run 30 of said conveyor with the guide member 3l of the stop means causes a thickening of the then forward edge portion of the sheeted dough pieces and sometimes some wrinkling thereof. This thickening and accompanying wrinkling is removed by passing the sheeted dough piece through the paired feed and sizing rollers t3, to be described in detail later. The run of conveyor belt d2 is guided over the upper table-like member 3d by the rollers M and 45. The rollers 116, 41 and 43 guide lower run 30 of conveyor 92 over the lower table-like portion 49 of the loaf forming unit. The lower portion or run 30' is thus located for the curling and loaf forming operations. Rollers 4t, d5, et and t8 all rotate in fixed bearings mounted on a pair of side walls 5|) of the loaf forming and panning unit. The roller 41 is mounted in a movable bearing on the side wall 50 in any suitable manner for adjusting the tension of conveyor belt 92. The conveyor belt 92 as shown in Fig. 2, is a continuous belt driven in the direction of the arrows from the gear reducer 5| in any desired manner (not shown).

It will be obvious from the above that the dough pieces that have been sheeted, such as the sheeted dough pieces 52, will all thus be located in the same position transversely of the upper run 3|) of conveyor 92 by the guide member 31 on the stop plate for the remaining loaf forming operad tions. Theidexiblecurlingrmember' 53e is; otfieri?-y blef chain: mesh material and; hasy its lower". exi*t tremityl dragging: on they lowerrun. 30." of: conveyory belt 92: so; that. whenI dough. pieces; that'.have been sheeted engage therewith the leading edges4 of the5 dough` pieces` will be turned' over' on. ther dough piece and. thus curling over or turning over" action. willi continue: until the dough piece has. been. completely curled or rolled; up on itself;- They flexible` curling member 53 is adjustable in` the usualmanner tofobtainthe desired position thereof on run 301' off the belt 92 by-meansA of bracket, members 54 that are adjustably. mounted on the:y horizontal arms. 5'5 of upstanding. brackets 5t:`

The.= brackets 5d are rigidly mounted on the: framfezor lower tablec member 4.9 and further: afijus-tment of the chain mesh member 53 is? pro,. vided by the pinsY 51 provided on the transverse. bar 5.8 extending between the brackets 5e.

From the: curling member 53 the'. dough piecev continues on. the lower inclined run 30," ofY belt conveyorv 912 to the pressure board 5S. A suitable amount of dusting flour is added by the dusting device of a well known type, indicated generally by the numeral Si), to the tacky outer surface of the rolled up dough piece before. passing under the pressure board. The pressure board 5e has a roller 6| mounted at its forward end, over which the belt. 6,2 extends. The belt B2 is normally stationary, but can be moved when this; is desired order to present different. portions thereof for cngagement with the curled up pieces of doug-h. As the curled up piece of doug-h passes under the pressure board it is raised, thisbeing possible due to the fact that the pressure board is mounted for sliding movementl up and down as the dough piece passes underneath The pressure board normally engages. the dough pieces by the. action of gravity, pressing down on the dough pieces so as to firmly seal the adjacent surfaces of the layers or plies of dough in the curled up piece together, and eventually firmly sealing the closing edge of the curled up piece to the adjacent body portion thereof. The curled up piece of dough rolls over on its longitudinal axis a number of times in passing along under the pressure board, because of the dragging action exerted by the pressure board and the forward movementv of the rolled up dough piece` due to the action of the conveyor belt. The molded loaves thus formed are then carried by the run 30 of the conveyor belt to the pans, which are delivered in timed relation to the loaves by a pan conveyor @Il driven in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, and controlled and driven by suitable means, not forming part of this invention.

The feeding and sizing rolls, indicated generally by the numeral 43, are mounted on shafts E5 and Bt (see Figs. 2 and 3), mounted in suitable bearings on the side Walls 50 of the loaf forming and panning unit. Mounted on the shaft |35 is a sizing roller 61 having a sleeve-like steel body portion E58, which is fixed on the shaft E55 to rotate therewith, and mounted on said body portion 63 is an outer sleeve 69 forming the dough contacting surface of the roller, which is made of a tetrafluoroethylene polymer, as previously referred to in connection with the sheeting mechanism. The roller S1 has flanges 1li thereon, between which the roller on shaft EE ts. The roller on shaft @t is designated generally by the numeral 1| and consists of the sleeve-like steel body portion 12, which is fixed on the shaft 66 to rotate therewith. An outer sleeve 13 of this unflanged roller 1| forming the dough contacting surface thereof is also made of the tetrafiuoroethylene polymer, and is fixed on the body portion 12. The shaft 69 is adjustable toward and away from the shaft 65 and thus the roller 1i is adjustable toward and away from the roller 61.

The drive mechanism for the rollers 66 and 51 is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The idler shaft 19 is driven by the chain 11 from the gear reducer 5i through the sprocket 18. The roller 61 mounted on shaft 55 is driven from the idler shaft 19 by the chain 89 in the direction shown by the arrow in Fig. 2. The shafts 65 and 65 are caused to rotate in opposite directions but at the same speed, by the chain arrangement shown in Fig. 3. The sprocket 3| is fixed on the shaft G5 and the sprocket 82 is nxed on the shaft 6B, the chain 33 moving in the direction of the arrow passes over the sprocket 82 and under the sprocket 8| and is adjusted by the idler sprockets Zt and 85 as the roller 1| is adjusted toward or away from the roller 9?. The sprocket 34 is mounted in fixed bearings on the side wall 56, while the sprocket 85 is mounted in suitable movable bearings on the side wall 5i! for adjusting the tension of the chain 83.

A hopper 93 may be provided for directing the sheeted dough pieces from the run 39 of the conveyor belt to the sizing rollers 61 and 1|. Guide plate 91 with a dough contacting surface 93 of tetrafluoroethylene polymer, mounted rigidly on the upper table portion 34 of the loaf forming unit, lies at an oblique angle to the upper run Sli of the conveyor belt and beyond the end thereof. The hopper 93 is also lined with tetrafluoroethylene polymer as shown in Fig. 8. The lining 99 is secured by fastening elements |99. The guide plate 91 serves as means for deecting the sheeted dough pieces downwardly into the hopper 93 upon discharge thereof endwise from the conveyor run 3D.

The dough pieces, after passing between the sizing rollers, will be deposited on the lower run 39 of the conveyor belt 92 and carried thereby to the exible curling member 53. rhe sizing rollers shown in Figs. 2 and 3 will not only locate the sheeted dough pieces definitely transversely of the run 3G' cf the conveyor belt, but will determine the exact width thereof, as well as produce a uniform thickness of the sheeted dough pieces, eliminating any thickened edge portion that may have resulted due to engagement with the stop means cooperating with the upper run 39 of said conveyor belt and any wrinkles that might have resulted in the dough piece due to engagement with the stop means or deector plate 35. The roller 1| is adjustable to any desired position relative to the roller 61 so that if more than mere elimination of a thickened edge and wrinkled portion of the dough piece is desired the same can be set so that the dough piece will be sheeted transversely of the direction in which it was sheeted by the sheeting mechanism, or in other words, the rollers can be so set as to materially reduce the thickness of the sheeted dough piece, if this is desired by the user of the machine. Under any circumstances, the rollers 61 and 1| cooperate to reshape the dough piece so that it is of uniform thickness and uniform width.

In the operation of my improved loaf molding machine, rounded or divided dough pieces are deposited in the hopper I6 by any suitable conveying means. The dough pieces are then sheeted by two pairs of sheeting rollers i4, l5, l1 and 8. rI'he sheeted dough pieces carried from the sheeting mechanism to the loaf forming and panning unit by conveyor belt l!! are discharged on run 30 of conveyor belt 92 where they engage the stop plate 35, which exactly positions said dough pieces for the remaining loaf forming operations. The sheeted dough piece having contacted the guide 31 on the deiiector plate 35 with considerable momentum has a thickened edge portion which must be removed before it is coiled up on itself to form the loaf, if a loaf of uniform size from end to end is desired. The sheeted dough piece having the thickened edge is carried from the upper portion or run 39 of conveyor belt 92 to the sizing rollers 43, where it is reshaped and made of uniform width and thickness for the curling operation. The reshaped dough piece is deposited on the lower portion or run 30' of the belt conveyor by the sizing rollers i3 and passes under the curling means 53 where it is coiled up on itself and progresses along the conveyor belt 39 to the pressure board 59. The our duster 60 adds a small amount of dusting flour to reduce the tackiness of the outer surface before the dough piece passes under the pressure board. 'Ihe completed loaves are discharged off the end of the run 39 of the conveyor into the pans 8B, where they are carried oi by the panning conveyor 64. As all the dough pieces will be located in exactly the right position transversely of the conveyor belt run 39 by the combined action of the stop means and the sizing rollers, the molded loaves will be located exactly right for deposit into the pans without any overlapping thereof. Due to the action of the sizing means the loaves will be of uniform cross section from end to end thereof when these pass into the pans.

Shown in Fig. 6 is a modilcation of my loaf forming and panning unit using two separate conveyor belts 81 and 9B in place of the one continuous belt 92, as shown in Fig. 2. The belt 31 is mounted on rollers 88 and 89, which rotate in fixed bearings on the side walls 59 of the loaf forming and panning unit, and moves over the upper table portion 34 of said unit. The belt 81 receives sheeted dough pieces from the sheeting mechanism as previously described for discharge into the sizing rollers 61 and 1|. 35', mounted in the same plate 35, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, is provided to position the dough pieces on the belt 81 in the proper relation for entry into the sizing rolls. The

A stop plate manner as the stop sizing rolls 61 and 1| are constructed and driven v in the same manner as the rolls 6i' and 1|, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and adjusted in the same manner by hand wheel 16. The conveyor belt 99 replaces the lower run 39 of conveyor belt 92 and moves over the lower table portion 59', corresponding to table portion 49, and roller 9| to deliver the pieces of dough of uniform width and thickness from the sizing rolls to the curling mechanism. The belts 81 and 99 are driven in any suitable manner from a gear reducer, similar to that shown in Fig. 2.

Another modification of my machine is shown in Fig. 5. where two unflanged rollers |1| and |12 are used for sizing the dough pieces. The rollers |1| and |12 are constructed the same as roller 1|, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with an outer sleeve 13 made of a polymer of tetrafluoroethylene and mounted rigidly on the steel sleevelike portion 12', which is fixed to rotate with the shafts |66 and |65. The shaft |59 is adjustable toward and away from the shaft |65 in a similar manner to shaft 66 and thus roller |1| is adjustable toward and away from roller |12 to vary the thickness of the sized dough piece. The drive forshafts |66 and |65 is the same accepte as for the shafts 6B and 65 shown iniFig. 3 Positioning of the dough piece for the final curl.- ing and loaf forming operation is .done by Aad@ justing the stop plate 35 as shown in Fig. 1 to discharge the dough piece into .the hopper 93 for `proper entrance into the sizing rolls l-t'll and |12 after these have been adjusted to their desired spacing. The discharge fof the .dough piece from the sizing rollers =FH and '112 `at the proper place on the lower belt .conveyor 9.0 :will determine the proper position of the formed .loaf in the pan. Therefore all the adjustment r tor the proper position of the dough piece on .the belt for the sizing, .curling and .loaf forming operations in this form of the invention isimade by varying the position :of the stop plate with respect to the belt.

What I claim is:

l. In a bread molding tmachine, imeans :for feeding sheeted dough :pieces .from a sheeting mechanism to a .curling .conveyor'means comprising upper Vconveying vmeans above and :operating in the same direction as said vcurling conveyor means, means discharging :sheeted dough pieces `from said Vlsheeting .mechanism on. to said upper conveyingmeans, and .a pair .of cooperating rollers .below the :disch-arge :end fof said upper conveying means iin'a position to re:- ceive sheeted dough pieces :from said A-1J.pp.er 'conveying means and above said curling conveyor means to discharge esaiddcugh pieces therefrom onto said curling conveyor means, Asaid V.upper conveying means vand said curling conveyor means being portions of .the same belt conveyor offset from each other.

2. In a bread .moldingma'chinefhavingfasheeting mechanism and a curling Aconveyor belt, means vfor feeding isheeted 'dough `pieces :from said sheeting mechanism ,to 4said .curling .conveyor belt, comprising belt conveying means above and traveling in ythe 'same direction las said curling conveyor belt, means .discharging sheeted dough piecesgonto-.said .conveying means from said sheeting mechanism .in a path itransverse to the direction ofhmovement .of saidconveying means, stop means :located between .the marginal edges ofsaid conveyingmeans andiextending across said path to denitelyzlocate the sheeted dough pieces discharged :onto said ,conveying means between thefsidesthereo'f, .a pair of cooperating rollers .below 'the discharge `.end of said conveying means .in 1a position fto receive sheeted dough pieces "from said conveying means and above said curling Vconveyor 'belt to dis.- charge said dough Apieces Atherefrom :onto said curling conveyor belt, and :means Afor .directing sheeted dough'pieces dischargedfrom -esaid conveying means between said rollers, comprising a hopper leading -tosaid rollers ,and means above said hoppery beyond the .discharge lend oi said conveying means .for deflecting said dough pieces into said hopper.

3. In a bread moldingmachine having asheeting mechanism and a curling conveyor vbelt, means for feeding 4sheeted dough pieces ifrom said sheeting mechanism to said curling 5conveyor belt, comprising ,belt conveying fmeans above and traveling :in the same Idirection as said curling conveyor ',belt, means :discharging sheeted dough pieces onto said conveying .means from said sheeting mechanism in a ,pathitransverse to the directionofmovement of saidconveying means, stop means located :between v the marginal edges of vsaidfconveyingimeansand extending 1. across said -path .to .deiinitelyf locate fthe sheeted :dough pieces .discharged onto said conv veying .means between the sides thereof, a pair of `cooperating rollers below the discharge end of said conveyingmeans in a position to receive sheeted dough pieces from said .conveying means and above-said-curling conveyor'belt to discharge said dough Ypieces ,therefrom onto said curling conveyor belt, and .means for directing sheeted dough Ypieces discharged :from said conveying means :between 'said rollers, .comprising :a hopper leading to said :rollers .and `an :inclined plate ex-` tending across the ipath of discharge of said dough pieces from .said Yconveying means "above saidho-pper.

e. .Ingabread moldingmachine having a sheeting v mechanism vand a curling conveyor belt, means for .feeding :sheeted .dough pieces from said sheeting v:mechanism to said curling .conveyor belt, .comprisingbelt.conveying means above and traveling in the saine .direction as said curling conveyor belt, means .discharging sheeted dough `.pieces .onto said v'conveying means from said sheeting Amechanism in .a path ltransverse to .the direction of movement of said conveying means, stop `means located between the marginaledgesof said .conveying .means and eX- tending across .said path .to denitely `locate .the sheeted dough pieces .discharged ontosaid conveying means between the .sides thereof, a pair of .cooperating .rollers .below the discharge end ofsaidconveying meansin a `position to receive sheeted .dough pieces from said conveying means and .above said-.curling .conveyor.belt, and means for .directing sheeted dough vpieces discharged from said conveying means betweensaid rollers, comprising a :hopper leading to said rollers and an -inclined .plate .extending across the kpath .of discharge .of said dough .pieces from said conveying means above said '-hopper, said plate lhaving a pclytetrafluoroethy-lene rdough engaging face, V,and .said hopperhaving a polytetrafluoroethylene lining.

.5. In .a bread .molding machine having a sheeting mechanism and a curling conveyor belt, means for feeding .sheeted .dough pieces .from said sheeting mechanism 'to said curling conveyor belt, comprising belt conveying means traveling .in the same .direction as said curling conveyor belt, feeding .means traveling in .a direction :transverselyof .said conveying means `to discharge Asheeted .dough .pieces from said .sheeting mechanism :transversely Aonto said conveying -means, a .stop memberlocated between the marginal 4:edges of ,saidconveying means andfextending. across Athe path'v of f-the dough pieces discharged -i'from said iee'ding Lmeans, anda vpair of cooperating rollers interposed between said vconveying lmeanssan'd said curling conveyorbelt-in a .position .to nreceive :sheeted 'dough pieces -irom said conveying rmeans .between the same, said rollers being horizontally spaced to denne a pas'- sage .therebetween lopeningv downwardly onto said curling :conveyor belt 4to discharge said dough =.pieces upon said curling conveyor belt from between said rollers.

Sfiln abreadmolding machine having a sheeting :mechanism and la :curling conveyor "belt, means for feeding .Isheeted dough -pieces .from said sheeting -mechanism `to said curling v`icon'- veyor belt, :comprising belt conveying means traveling 1in the same direction as said curling conveyor belt, means discharging l sheet'edY dough pieces onto .said yconveying means from said sheeting-:mechanism l in a-p'ath ltransverse to the direction .fo'f .movement 'ofY said Aconveying means,

stop means overlying said conveying means andcooperating therewith, said stop means being located between the marginal edges of said conveying means and extending across said path to definitely locate the sheeted dough pieces discharged onto said conveying means between the sides thereof, and a pair of cooperating rollers interposed between the discharge end of said conveying means and said curling conveyor belt in a position to receive sheeted dough pieces from said conveying means and discharge the same onto said curling conveyor belt.

7. In a bread molding machine having a sheeting mechanism and a curling conveyor belt, means for feeding sheeted dough pieces from said sheeting mechanism to said curling conveyor belt, comprising belt conveying means traveling in the same direction as said curling conveyor belt, means discharging sheeted dough pieces onto said conveying means from said sheeting mechanism in a path transverse to the direction of movement of said conveying means, stop means overlying said conveying means and cooperating therewith, said stop means being located between the marginal edges of said conveying means and extending across said path to definitely locate the sheeted dough pieces discharged onto said conveying means between the sides thereof, and means for rolling said dough pieces to a uniform thickness interposed between the discharge end of said conveying means and said curling conveyor belt in a position to receive sheeted dough pieces from said conveying means and discharge the same onto said curling conveyor belt.

8. In a bread molding machine having a sheeting mechanism and a curling conveyor belt, means for feeding sheeted dough pieces from said sheeting mechanism to said curling conveyor belt, comprising belt conveying means traveling in the same direction as said curling conveyor belt, means discharging sheeted dough pieces onto said conveying means from said sheeting mechanism in a path transverse to the direction of movement of said conveying means, stop means overlying said conveying means and cooperating therewith, said stop means being located between the marginal edges of said conveying means and extending across said path to denitely locate the sheeted dough pieces discharged onto said conveying means between the sides thereof, and a pair of relatively adjustable sheeting rollers interposed between said conveying means and said curling conveyor belt in a position to receive sheeted dough pieces from said conveying means, said rollers being horizontally spaced to provide a passage between the same opening downwardly onto said curling conveyor belt to discharge said dough pieces upon Said curling conveyor belt from between said rollers.

9. In a bread molding machine having a sheeting mechanism and a curling conveyor belt, means for feeding sheeted dough pieces from said sheeting mechanism to said curling conveyor belt, comprising belt conveying means traveling in the same direction as said curling conveyor belt, means discharging sheeted dough pieces onto said conveying means from said sheeting mechanism in a path transverse to the direction of movements of said conveying means, stop means located between the marginal edges of said conveying means and extending across said path to definitely locate the sheeted dough pieces discharged onto said conveying means between the sides thereof, and means for gauging from said sheeting mechanism to said curlingY conveyor belt, comprising an upper conveyor belt traveling in the same direction as said curling conveyor belt, means discharging sheeted dough.

pieces onto said conveying means from said sheeting mechanism in a path transverse to the direction of movement of said upper conveyor belt, stop means located between the marginal edges of said upper conveyor belt and extending across said path to definitely locate the sheeted dough pieces discharged onto said upper conveyor belt between the sides thereof, and a pair of cooperating rollers interposed between the discharge end of said upper conveyor belt and curling conveyor belt above said curling conveyor belt in a position to receive sheeted dough pieces from said upper conveyor belt and discharge said dough pieces downwardly onto said curling conveyor belt.

11. In a bread molding machine having a sheeting mechanism and a curling conveyor belt, means for feeding sheeted dough pieces from said sheeting mechanism to said curling conveyor belt, comprising belt conveying means traveling in the same direction as said curling conveyor belt, feeding means traveling in a direction transversely of said conveying means to discharge sheeted dough pieces from said sheeting mechanism transversely onto said conveying means, a stop member having an upstanding stop wall having a facing of polytetraiiuorcethylene thereon located between the marginal edges of said conveying means and extending across the path of the dough pieces discharged from said feeding means, and a pair of cooperating rollers interposed between said conveying means and said curling conveyor belt in a position to receive sheeted dough pieces from said conveying means between the same, said rollers being horizontally spaced to deiine a passage therebetween opening downwardly onto said curling conveyor belt to discharge said dough pieces upon said curling conveyor belt from between said rollers.

12. In a bread molding machine having a sheeting mechanism and a curling conveyor belt, means for feeding sheeted dough pieces from said sheeting mechanism to said curling conveyor belt, comprising belt conveying means traveling in the same direction as said curling conveyor belt, means discharging sheeted dough pieces onto said conveying means from said sheeting mechanism in a path transverse to the direction of movement of said conveying means. stop means located between the marginal edges of .said conveying means and extending across said path to definitely locate the sheeted dough pieces discharged onto said conveying means between the side edges thereof, said sheeted dough pieces being thickened adjacent the edge thereof engaging said stop means by engagement with said stop means, and means for reshaping said sheeted dough pieces to a uniform thickness lo- 13 14 cated between said conveying means and said Number Name Date curling conveyor belt. 2,021,251 Brykczynski Nov. 19, 1935 MERLIN A. STICKELBER. 2,077,896 Quick Apr. 20, 1937 2,320,797 Robinson et al June 1, 1943 References Cited in the fle 0f this patent 5 2,373,012 Burdett Apr. 3, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,403,476 Berry et a1. July 9, 1946 2,479,864 Rhodes Aug. 23 1949 Number Name Date 2,534,734 1,148,005 Bogdanry July 27, 1915 2 586 089 gg ggg g 1,657,018 Larraburu Jan. 24, 1928 1,949,105 Lauterbur et al. Feb. 27, 1934 10 

